6
votes
Why can't we reason or logic our way to NIrvana?
I have read at various places that Nirvana can't be described or reached by logic or reason.
I think that's two questions: 1) described, 2) reached.
I think Nirvana is defined as being the end of ...
- 47.4k
4
votes
What did the Buddha say about motivation?
Right effort(sammā-vāyāma) in terms of mindfulness is not a forceful , grit your teeth kind of effort. It's a moment by moment, continuous, good cyclical habit kind of effort.
Cetanā is Pali for
1- ...
- 7,260
4
votes
Accepted
Why are Mahayana texts in Sanskrit?
I'm afraid any answer to this is going to be speculative, so not a perfect SE question. Here is my theory:
Most of the early Mahayana texts were written either in Hybrid Sanskrit or in Gandhari ...
- 59.1k
4
votes
What (spiritual/religious) terms did the Buddha redefine?
The Buddha redefined the term Brahmin :
Yassa pāraṁ apāraṁ vā pārāpāraṁ na vijjati,
For whom the near shore,
the far shore or both do not exist,
vītaddaraṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
free ...
- 316
4
votes
Accepted
Which language will get you deeper into Buddhism, Pali or Sanskrit?
Vedic Sanskrit is much older than Pali. Pali part of the family of Prakrits which descended from Vedic Sanskrit. The Buddha spoke a Prakrit dialect. Jain scriptures too were written in some kind of ...
- 37.9k
3
votes
How can we know the original meaning of a word with certainty?
When possible, the suttas give physical references for clarity:
They’re like a flax flower that’s blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint. Or a cloth from Bāraṇasī that’s smoothed on both ...
- 9,557
3
votes
How can we know the original meaning of a word with certainty?
How can we know the original meaning of a word with certainty?
Yes.
I'm sure there's a scholarly answer -- not this from me though.
Your mentioning "chakras" reminds of something similar, i....
- 47.4k
3
votes
Why can't we reason or logic our way to NIrvana?
Nirvana can't be described or reached by logic or reason
Logic and reason are functions of the intellect-mind. Nirvana is beyond the intellect-mind.
What is the intellect-mind? The mind that works ...
- 2,307
3
votes
Conversational Pali and Sanskrit?
Yes, though Pali is a "dead language" in the sense that it has no native speakers left to use it, that doesn't mean it can't be used to communicate with others. I remember Professor Gombrich ...
- 364
3
votes
What are the languages associated with each Buddhist school?
Question: For each school of buddhism, what would be the best languages to learn in order to be able to study the bulk of the canon associated to that school in its original and why?
Learning ...
- 9,709
3
votes
What did the Buddha say about motivation?
'Chanda' as an 'iddhipada', translated as 'zeal', 'desire', 'will', 'love'. I prefer 'devotion'.
Some suttas: SN 51.15 and SN 51.20.
- 43.8k
3
votes
Is it recommended in Buddhism to know people from other nations and learn their languages
...
You should not cling to a regional language; you should not reject common usage.
This is a summary of the analysis of non-conflict.
Arana Vibhanga Sutta
A lot more discussions in Language and ...
3
votes
What (spiritual/religious) terms did the Buddha redefine?
The Buddha redefined the term "yañña" (sacrifice), sometimes spelt "yajna" or "yajña".
The Buddha discouraged animal sacrifice, human sacrifice, and other extra ...
- 37.9k
3
votes
Self-designation of buddhism
Vinaya Pitaka --
The Basket of the Discipline
It helps to keep in mind that the name the Buddha gave to the spiritual path he taught was "Dhamma-vinaya" — the Doctrine (Dhamma) and ...
- 47.4k
3
votes
Self-designation of buddhism
ChrisW's answer is great, but might not be what you're looking for (I understood your question to be about commonplace, modern terminology).
In East Asia, Buddhism is "Buddha's Teaching" or &...
- 473
2
votes
Can one get into the heart of Zen Buddhism without Chinese?
In Australia, America and many other countiries, many zen temples offer classes in both English and Chinese (separately).
- 131
2
votes
What are the languages associated with each Buddhist school?
What you describe is very much the path I traveled myself. I studied Literary Chinese and Japanese to be able to read the original Ch'an and Zen texts and I haven't ever regretted the journey. There ...
- 1,821
2
votes
Dhamma Language Learning
The best way I know to learn Tibetan is attending the 4 years
Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme. Once you completed this training, you commit to translate any FPMT Study Program for at ...
- 4,966
2
votes
Why are Mahayana texts in Sanskrit?
Further to Andrei's answer, I imagine that Sanskrit or equivalent might have been like English is in India today -- i.e. many people know it (as a living language) and use it normally whenever they ...
- 47.4k
2
votes
Self-designation of buddhism
Good question; for which I am unsure of a precise answer. The Pali contains phrases such as:
Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa: teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Realized One (Tathāgata/...
- 43.8k
2
votes
Can mantras in Buddhist meditation be recited in translation, or does it need to be recited in Sanskrit?
Mantra(s) just translates as "mind protection" they are used to focus the mind on a mental object, the mantra. Best used when a klesha is (trying to) taking control and to avert the mind to ...
- 950
2
votes
Accepted
Can mantras in Buddhist meditation be recited in translation, or does it need to be recited in Sanskrit?
A lot of the ancient Buddhist texts had been translated ages ago when they were transmitted to other countries and cultures such as the Chinese civilization. An example is Gate Gate Para Gate Parasam ...
- 1,948
1
vote
Why can't we reason or logic our way to NIrvana?
In the book chapter entitled "Boiling and the Leidenfrost Effect" (an excerpt is quoted below), physicist Jearl Walker discussed the Leidenfrost Effect and explained how it may protect a firewalker ...
- 37.9k
1
vote
Difference between "perception" and "view"?
Perhaps if you search this site for "What is perception?" and "What is a view?" you will answer your question in two steps.
To summarize very briefly, in my understanding,
Perception is what ...
- 59.1k
1
vote
Difference between "perception" and "view"?
Perception is making memory.
Everytime we are making memory. One is touching (construction), feeling (feeling), and making memory (perception), while seeing (consciousness) a color at same moment.
...
- 6,330
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible